WEST TENNESSEE — Twelve senior leaders representing a cross-section of West Tennessee's higher education, economic development, industry, government, and nonprofit sectors have been elected Founding Fellows of the Porter Development Initiative Fellows Academy, receiving the Charter Fellowship and Distinguished Achievement recognition on June 26, 2026 – the academy's highest honor for inaugural members of this statewide economic leadership initiative.

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The West Tennessee Founding Fellows were elected by the Board of Directors of Global Action Platform, together with the Regional Steering Committees of the Tennessee Leaders Action Platform, in recognition of their distinguished leadership and commitment to advancing regional competitiveness and shared prosperity.

The Fellows Academy is part of the Tennessee Leaders Action Platform, a statewide initiative organized and led by Global Action Platform – the initiative's permanent home – in partnership with the Porter Development Initiative. The platform brings together a statewide network of 120 senior leaders organized into eight regional economic steering committees.